India says evidence links Mumbai terror attacks to Pakistan

AFP , NEW DELHI

India yesterday handed to Pakistan what it said was evidence linking the country to the Islamic militants who attacked Mumbai in November.

The Indian government also said it was launching a major diplomatic offensive to maintain international pressure on Islamabad, which has so far rejected New Delhi’s demands to hand over a list of terror suspects.

“We have today handed over to Pakistan evidence of the links with elements in Pakistan of the terrorists who attacked Mumbai on 26th November, 2008,” Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters.

“What happened in Mumbai was an unpardonable crime. As far as the government of Pakistan is concerned, we ask only that it implement the bilateral commitments that it has made at the highest levels to India, and practises her international obligations. These are clear,” he said.

Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon handed over the evidence to Pakistan’s high commissioner in New Delhi.

Islamabad confirmed that it had received the dossier and was reviewing its contents.

The material includes details of the interrogation of Mohammed Ajmal Amir Iman, also known as Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving gunman and, according to India, a Pakistani national.

It also details the militants’ communications with “elements” in Pakistan during the attack, recovered weapons and other equipment, retrieved global positioning system data and satellite phones.

“It is our expectation that the government of Pakistan will promptly undertake further investigations in Pakistan and share the results with us so as to bring the perpetrators to justice,” Mukherjee said.

New Delhi has also shared the evidence with foreign ministers around the world, will brief foreign ambassadors in New Delhi and Indian ambassadors in other countries will do the same, the minister said.

The assault on India’s financial capital left 172 dead, including nine attackers.

Indian officials say the banned Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba trained and equipped the 10 militants.

Pakistan’s government has so far said that New Delhi has provided no proof of a Pakistani link.

Indian Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said over the weekend that the proof against Pakistan was “overwhelming” and indicated that the attackers were backed by the Pakistani authorities.